


Sick Day

by lightsinthefloors



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Moreid, Sickfic, emily and Spencer are the dynamic duo, friends - Freeform, it’s all platonic with the girls, not jeid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:34:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26268064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightsinthefloors/pseuds/lightsinthefloors
Summary: When Spencer is sick and Derek can’t be with him, the girls come to their rescue.
Relationships: Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid
Comments: 2
Kudos: 132





	Sick Day

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so one thing. I doubt anyone has noticed but if you did, on several fics of mine I use the tag Emily and Spencer are the dynamic duo. Basically, I didn’t want to make a whole verse out of this since the stories aren’t centered around it, the fics with these tags are ones that have cute, sibling-ly moments between Emily and Spencer. So if you like those two completely platonically together like I do, check out that tag! I already checked, all fics under that tag are mine :)

It’s three in the morning, and Spencer is awake. He has been for awhile, waking up a little bit ago feeling anything but good. His head is spinning so much it’s making him feel queasy, and his throat burns enough to make swallowing painful. Spencer whimpers quietly, coughing a little when that makes his throat feel worse. He grabs Derek’s shoulder and shakes, yearning for some comfort. His boyfriend groans tiredly, slowly turning to face him. 

“What’s the matter?” Derek murmurs, his voice thick with sleep. 

Spencer just shakes his head, pressing up against Derek’s chest with a teary sigh. He grips onto his shirt, panting softly as he tries to catch his breath. 

“Okay, okay, breathe for me. You’re okay, I’ve got you. Was it a bad dream?” Derek frowns, holding his hand to the back of Spencer’s head. 

Spencer shakes his head, squeezing his arms around Derek’s waist. “I feel so sick,” he rasps, barely able to make his voice go above a whisper. “My head is pounding and my stomach’s upset. My throat burns. I don’t want you to leave.”

Derek sighs, nodding softly. Normally, they would have off since tomorrow is Saturday. But Derek was specifically requested to go out of state for the day to assist in something. Spencer was just going to stay back, but now he really doesn’t want to be alone or have Derek leave. Spencer knows it’s too late for Derek to decline, which only makes him more upset. He clings to the older man, sniffling softly. 

“I know, angel. Please don’t cry,” Derek murmurs, kissing the top of his head. “I’m sorry, I wish I didn’t have to go either. But I’ll be back before you know it. I’ll make sure someone can stay with you if you still feel bad when we wake up. That way you won’t be alone.”

“I don’t want anyone else, I want you,” Spencer groans, pressing impossibly closer. “I don’t want you to leave. Stay with me.”

“I wish I could,” Derek whispers, feeling so guilty. “I’m sorry, Spencer. Try to get some sleep. You might feel better in the morning.”

After a little while longer of slight arguing and fighting to get comfortable, Spencer eventually does agree to try and go back to sleep. Derek holds him, Spencer’s back to his chest. He holds one hand against his stomach and cards the other through his hair, just wanting him to relax. However, when morning comes, Spencer only feels worse. The only difference is that he’s currently running a fever, and feeling much more miserable. That makes Derek want to leave less, but it’s definitely too late now. He’s already running a little late, sitting up in bed and letting Spencer lay his head down on his lap. Derek strokes his hair again, hoping to soothe the stubborn headache that won’t seem to leave. Spencer’s curled up tightly, letting out quiet sounds of discomfort every so often. 

“So... JJ, Emily, and Penelope couldn’t agree on who gets to hang out with you today, so they’re all gonna come nurse you back to health,” Derek hums, hoping that will cheer Spencer up a bit. 

“I don’t want them,” Spencer sniffs, rubbing his eyes. It’s not to be mean- he loves them with all his heart. He just wants his boyfriend. 

“I know, baby boy, I know. I’ll be back late tonight, so if you’re able to fall asleep I’ll be there when you wake up. If you can’t sleep, just remember I’ll be home as soon as possible,” Derek murmurs, rubbing his back. “I really have to start getting ready, honey.”

Spencer curls up in the warm spot Derek left, holding a pillow to his chest. He feels terrible, everything he felt last night only amplified now. He tries to stop crying, knowing he could unintentionally make himself sick. Any other time, he wouldn’t mind the girls coming over at all. Now though, he just feels horrible and wants comfort. He eventually stops crying, dissolving into small sniffles. Derek goes to sit with him again, but there’s a knock on the door. 

“I’ll be right back, baby,” Derek tells him, kissing the top of his head. He answers the door, revealing all three of the girls. “Hey, thank you so much for coming. He’s really worrying me. Normally he wants to be so independent, but he really doesn’t feel well.”

“Hey,” JJ greets, smiling softly. “We’ll take care of him, don’t worry.”

“Yeah, just do what you need to do and then come back home,” Emily agrees. “Try not to stress yourself out too much.”

Penelope nods, kissing his cheek. “At least it’s not a work day,” she supplies. 

“You’re right about that, baby girl,” Derek sighs softly. “I just wish I didn’t have to go. I should probably get going soon too...”

“Why don’t you say bye to Spence? If you’re all ready you can just stay with him for a few more minutes,” JJ suggests. 

Derek nods, heading back into their room. “I’m back, sweetheart. The girls are here, I’ve got just a few more minutes. Do you want to lay on the couch instead?”

Spencer shrugs, knowing he’ll feel bad no matter what. “I don’t care,” he whispers, closing his eyes. 

“Come on, pretty boy. I’ll help you up,” Derek whispers, wrapping his arms around Spencer’s waist and carefully pulling him up. 

Spencer smashes his face against Derek’s shoulder when the movement makes his head spin, his breath catching in his throat. Derek stills him, letting him calm down before they try to move again. All the curtains in the living room are drawn- Spencer’s frequent headaches tend to bring light sensitivity. Spencer clutches a blanket around him, feeling freezing. Derek knows it’s not best since he definitely has a fever, but doesn’t want to upset Spencer more than he is. The girls get up from the couch when they see him, letting Spencer curl up. 

“How are you feeling, sweetness?” Penelope asks gently, reaching out to stroke his feverish cheek. 

Spencer just shakes his head, wrapping his arms around himself. “Want Derek to stay,” he mumbles, sniffling softly. 

Emily sighs sadly, kneeling down next to him and rubbing his back. “I know. But we’re going to be with you the whole time until he’s back. We’ll make sure you feel better soon,” she smiles softly. 

Derek leans down to kiss his forehead one last time, squeezing his hand. “I’ll be back later, baby. Try to relax. I love you.”

“Love you too,” Spencer sighs, hiding his face in the couch cushion. 

Derek slips out after that, knowing he’s already running late. The girls share a look, wondering what they can do to make Spencer feel better. The youngest agent is still curled up, the blanket pulled up to his chin. As tall as he is, Spencer looks so small underneath it. 

“Are you hungry, Spence? I can make some soup,” JJ asks softly, keeping her voice quiet. 

“No,” Spencer huffs, still upset and agitated. “I don’t want anything.”

JJ sighs, but doesn’t take it personally. “Alright. Let me know if you do.”

“I just really- really don’t feel well,” Spencer mumbles, his voice breaking a bit. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“Hey, I know you feel really bad. It’s okay, I’m not upset,” JJ promises, cupping his cheek. “I only want you to feel better. It’s okay.”

That’s all it takes for his tears to start up again, moving slightly to slump against JJ’s shoulder. Penelope and Emily stay close, wanting to offer as much comfort as possible. Everyone hates being sick, and it seems like Spencer is having a particularly hard time. 

“I don’t like this,” Spencer whispers. “It hurts to talk.”

“You don’t have to talk, sugar,” Penelope tells him. “Just... show us where it hurts so we know how to help.”

Spencer nods softly, pointing to his head and throat first. He finishes by resting his hand on his belly, rubbing a slow circle. He feels so exhausted, but doesn’t think he can sleep. 

“Does your stomach hurt too much that you can’t eat?” Emily asks softly. “Warm soup will feel good on your throat.”

Spencer shrugs, not really knowing. He pulls the blanket tighter around him, a shiver running down his back. 

“Alright, well I’ll go make some and you can try. If you don’t want it, we’ll go from there,” JJ decides. 

Everyone nods, Emily and Penelope sitting on each of Spencer’s sides. He wiggles his way down to lay in their laps, sighing heavily. His head is pounding and his whole body feels heavy, but laying down is the best position he’s found. Penelope strokes his hair the way she knows he loves, and Emily just wraps her arms around him and holds him close. Having someone pet his hair helps his head feel a little bit better, but Spencer doesn’t want to move and ruin the feeling. JJ comes back shortly, a bowl of soup and some medicine in her hands. 

“Alright, the soup will help your throat feel better. This-“ she holds up a bottle of pink medicine “-will make your stomach better. These should help the headache.”

Spencer slowly sits up, wincing when his head throbs. He takes the pills and swallows the liquid medicine, barely cringing at the taste. He holds the soup in his lap, bringing up a shaky spoonful. JJ was right- it feels great on his sore throat, but he’s not so sure about the way it settles in his stomach. Spencer shifts a little, grunting softly. Emily rubs his back, hushing him gently. 

“Just relax. We can stop whenever you want,” she promises. 

He nods softly, leaning into the touch. “I don’t know,” he whispers hoarsely. “It feels okay on my throat but I don’t want to throw up.”

“Then let’s take a break,” JJ hums, feeling his forehead. “You’re a little warmer than I want you. That medicine should help the fever.”

Spencer sighs, wishing he could’ve done a little better. He wraps his arms around himself, frowning. Emily wraps her arms around him, pulling Spencer close. She knows he’s feeling bad, and the two of them tend to go to each other for comfort. Both of them know what it’s like to have not so normal childhoods, and how they both knew hiding their feelings made things easier. Now, it’s easy to comfort each other, whether it be a shoulder to cry on or cuddling during movie night. 

“I’ve got you,” Emily whispers. “You did good. Try to relax your muscles, you feel tense.”

She rubs the back of his neck, and Spencer sighs softly when some of the tension releases. JJ and Penelope smile at them, glad that Spencer is able to relax a little. He eventually drifts off into an uneasy sleep, occasional sounds of discomfort leaving his mouth. 

“I don’t like how warm he is,” Penelope frowns softly. “We need to get that fever down.”

JJ nods, rubbing his back. “I know. He won’t like the blanket taken off, so rather than cooling him down it might be best to let him just sweat it out.”

The others nod, just keeping an eye on Spencer as he rests. He shifts around a bit, clinging tighter to Emily. She rubs his back, hoping to calm him a bit. 

“I just wish he didn’t feel so bad. He’s never like this, so clingy, you know? He feels miserable,” Emily frowns. 

“Yeah,” Penelope whispers. “Hopefully he’ll feel better soon. I know it doesn’t help that Derek isn’t here.”

JJ nods, taking one of Spencer’s hands. “I know. But we’re doing everything we can to help.”

After a little while longer, Spencer starts to shift again, waking up shortly after that. He whimpers softly at first, confused as to why he’s not in bed and why Derek isn’t there. Once his eyes focus, he remembers, but doesn’t feel much better. The girls greet him, eventually convincing him to try some more soup. Spencer eats a little, but doesn’t like the way it feels inside. 

“I think I might be sick soon,” Spencer groans, shifting uncomfortably. “I should probably wait in the bathroom just in case.”

“I’ll come with you,” JJ says softly, glancing at the other two. “Why don’t you guys set up the bed so we can relax in there for a change? It’s big enough for everyone.”

“Yeah, we’ll get that done. Don’t worry,” Emily promises. 

JJ leads Spencer to the bathroom, sighing sadly as he curls up on the floor against the wall. “It’s gonna be alright, Spence. Just let it out if you have to.”

Spencer nods softly, zoning out for awhile. “I miss Elle,” he says suddenly, lifting his head. “One time, before we were close and before Derek and I were together, I was sick and alone. I didn’t know who to call, and I felt stupid asking Hotch or Gideon. Elle came over and we watched movies all day and she laid with me until I felt better. I got her sick too, but she said she didn’t mind. I miss her a lot.”

JJ listens, smiling sympathetically. “You should call her, honey. I’m sure she misses you too.”

“It’s just been so long. I feel like calling her now would be awkward with how much time has passed. She could’ve gotten married and had kids, or moved to another country for all I know,” Spencer whispers. “Just- being sick made me think of her.”

JJ squeezes his shoulder, nodding softly. “I know. Just try not to think about how she’s not here anymore and think about how much fun you guys had when she was.”

Spencer shrugs, sighing softly. “I guess so.”

They stay in there for awhile, Spencer feeling like he might throw up but never actually doing it. He doesn’t want to leave though, convinced that the moment he moves he’ll be sick. 

“I think we can get to bed, Spencer. You’re okay,” JJ whispers, rubbing his side. “If you haven’t thrown up yet you probably won’t.”

“I’m afraid to move,” Spencer mumbles, though his bed sounds amazing right now. 

“I’ll get a bucket just in case,” JJ reasons. 

Spencer sighs, finally giving in. “Fine. Can you help me up?”

JJ nods, standing up first before slowly pulling Spencer off the ground. She wraps her arm around him, leading him back to bed. The other two smile when they see him, shifting around so he can be in the middle. JJ and Penelope go on either of his sides, while Emily curls up between his legs. That way, they can all be close. Penelope pulls Spencer to lean against her, running her hands through his mess of hair. 

“Are you feeling any better?” She asks quietly. 

Spencer shrugs, closing his eyes. “I don’t know yet. Thank you for being here.”

“Of course, sweetheart. We’re always here for you,” Penelope smiles, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Just tell me what I can do to make you feel better.”

“I like when you play with my hair. It helps the headache. And- and I like when you guys are close,” he blushes. “You don’t have to be if you don’t want to.”

“Oh, none of that,” Emily chuckles, wrapping her arms around Spencer’s waist while JJ curls against his back. “You get to be the little spoon, and we’re happy to let you.”

“Mhm,” JJ nods, rubbing his back again. “Close your eyes and hopefully you’ll wake up feeling better.”

Spencer nods, doing just that. He’s on his side now with JJ hugging him from behind, his head still resting on Penelope’s shoulder. Emily is technically between Spencer and Penelope, but she’s wedged so tightly that no one has trouble accessing Spencer. She just hugs him around his waist, closing her eyes as well. That’s how they eventually all fall asleep, limbs tangled around each other beneath a king sized comforter. 

It’s nearing midnight when Derek comes back home, letting himself in. He’s a bit surprised to find the living room both empty, and cleaner than he left it. He peeks into the bedroom, grinning when he sees all of them asleep. He sits on the edge of the bed, gently shaking Penelope’s shoulder. She starts to wake up and rubs her eyes, sleepily peering up at him. 

“You’re back?” She yawns, fixing her glasses. 

“Yeah, don’t sound so excited about it,” Derek snorts. “Did you guys just sleep the whole day?”

“I guess so... it was just so comfortable,” Penelope whispers thoughtfully. She reaches down to feel Spencer’s forehead, humming softly. “Fever hasn’t broken completely, but he’s not nearly as warm as before.”

“Good. Thank you for nursing him back to health, baby girl,” Derek chuckles. 

JJ starts to stir at the sound of them talking, turning over and sitting up slowly. “What time is it?” She murmurs, confused as to why it’s dark. 

“It’s getting late, JJ. I’m sorry if I kept you here so long, you should’ve said something if you needed to leave,” Derek apologizes. 

She shakes her head, smiling softly. “No, no. I told Will we didn’t know when you would be back and I would be late or maybe spend the night. He already knows.”

Derek smiles back, nodding. He glances down at Emily and Spencer, still out cold. They’re wrapped around each other, looking like they aren’t planning on moving anytime soon. 

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets her sick,” Penelope murmurs. “She’s been the closest to him all day.”

“Yeah, she’s quite protective of him,” Derek smiles fondly. “Whenever one of them is sick, you can trust the other to be a day or two later. Can’t leave each other alone.”

“Remember the time at the fair?” JJ grins. 

“Oh yes,” Penelope laughs. “Poor babies. They both felt horrible but still insisted on having a sleepover.”

The three of them laugh, recalling other memories and how outside of work, Emily and Spencer are the most childish in the group. At work, they always get the job done, staying professional and doing things to the best of their ability. At home though, the two of them are both much more affectionate, and they let their guard down. 

“We should wake them soon,” JJ says after awhile. “We slept for a long time, and neither of them will sleep tonight as it is.”

Derek nods, putting his hand under Spencer’s shirt and rubbing his back to wake him. Spencer shifts around a little bit, but doesn’t wake fully, thinking it’s just one of the girls. When he finally opens his eyes though, a wide smile comes over his sleepy face, and he attempts to get closer to Derek. 

“I’ve got you, don’t crush Emily,” Derek chuckles, moving towards the end of the bed so he can pull Spencer to him. 

“I missed you so much,” Spencer mumbles, hugging him tight. “How was the case you had to work on?”

“I don’t care about the case, I want to know about you. How are you feeling now, any better?”

Spencer thinks about it for a moment, laying his head on Derek’s chest. “Kind of. My head doesn’t really hurt anymore, and my throat doesn’t burn nearly as much. I’m still freezing though, and while it’s not nausea, my stomach has definitely felt better than it does now.”

Derek rubs the back of his neck, kissing his forehead. “That’s still better than earlier. I’m glad you’re doing okay.”

Spencer nods softly, just holding onto him. He glances at Emily, smiling softly. JJ and Penelope watch them, unable to keep the grin off their faces. They eventually decide to wake Emily, who tells Spencer she’s glad he’s feeling a little better. It’s past midnight when the girls finally say goodbye, hugging them both and telling Spencer to stay hydrated. It’s just Derek and Spencer after that, and they stay quiet for some time. Spencer’s just glad that Derek is home, never letting go of his boyfriend. 

“Tell me about your day,” Derek murmurs, playing with Spencer’s curly hair. 

“It was rather uneventful. I slept a lot, ate maybe half a bowl of soup in total. I thought I was gonna throw up, but didn’t, which I suppose is a good thing. The girls never left my side though,” Spencer smiles softly. “So even if you weren’t here, they made sure I wasn’t alone.”

“Good,” Derek nods, kissing the top of his head. “I missed you a lot. I couldn’t stop thinking about you the whole time.”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you either,” Spencer blushes, stretching a little and turning to lay back against Derek. 

The older man holds him tight, one of his hands rubbing lightly at Spencer’s middle. The soothing touch eventually lulls Spencer to sleep again. No matter how much he slept that day, he still feels groggy. He sleeps until morning this time, feeling much better. His fever broke in the night, so although he’s sweaty and feeling gross in that aspect, he’s glad this turned out to be a one day thing. He showers while Derek changes the sheets, and just like that, Spencer is as good as new.

**Author's Note:**

> One more note: the part where JJ and Penelope mention the time at the fair is actually a reference to another one of my fics. If you already read it, did you catch that? If not, and you want to read it, the fic is entitled Bright Blue


End file.
